


An Emptiness

by PhantasmaDormi



Series: Mianite Awakening [1]
Category: Mianite - Fandom, Mianite Awakening, Mianite Awakening (Mianite Fan Series)
Genre: Attempt at backstory, I will live with what I have, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Probably going to be crushed once the next episode comes out, unedited
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 06:20:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12699132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantasmaDormi/pseuds/PhantasmaDormi
Summary: She was Ianite’s champion. It was her duty to uphold balance. Just like her beloved goddess, she could feel the shifts and changing of balance. And if she felt it going too far one way, it was her job to stop it from faltering. Even if it meant murder.





	An Emptiness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blondetheftauto](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blondetheftauto/gifts).



There was a nagging feeling in the back of her head. It had appeared suddenly, and the more she tried to block it out the worse it got. It was a familiar sensation, but one she couldn't place. She felt like she needed to do something. But what?

“Tay, are you even paying attention?” She tried to focus back in on her companion's voice. He had been going on about… something. To be honest, she hadn't heard a word he said.

Giving him a sheepish smile, she replied, “Sorry hun. Just a bit, ya know, out of it. What were you saying?” 

The young brunette huffed. Pouting at her, he began to reiterate his point, something about wanting to give her friend some kind of gift that wouldn't lead to destruction. She kind of zoned out again. 

“Taylor, I swear. You are so not listening to me!” He planted his hands on his hips. “Tell me what's going on in your head.”

She shrugged. There wasn't much to say.

“There's, uh, something?” Her eyes swept the area around them, the same pattern repeating down the dark corridor. “It's just a feeling. Somethin’ in the back of my head.” She grimaced as she thought about it more.

He slowed beside her, his face becoming blank. “It's not,” he began, face scrunching as he looked for the right word, “the uh, you know, the thing? That happened before the really big thing?” 

Taylor gave a small chuckle at his stumbling. The thing was her “disturbance sense”, or so her other friends like to call it. It wasn’t particularly unique to her, but rather a trait shared amongst Ianite’s most devoted followers. Her companion wasn’t quite on the level required to uptake such a nuisance.

“No,” she sighed a short breath, before turning to look at him. “This is… different? It feels so very much like it. Except. It’s.” She gave an exasperated shrug. “It’s just different. Like it means something else.”

He gave her a slow nod. Throwing an arm over her shoulder as they reached the door they had been walking towards, he wiggled his eyebrows.

“Get too much into it and you’ll start talking all cryptic like the priest!” He gleefully exclaimed.

Taylor groaned, thinking back to all the headaches she got from their confusing phrases. If she were to be that sort of person, she’d have driven herself insane. At least she had her puns.

But as the duo walked through the door, out into the bright outdoors, the nagging feeling in the back of her head stayed, waiting.

~

Taylor tossed and turned in her bed. The snug, smaller bed was normally perfect for laying down, but now the size felt microscopic. The smooth, warm sheets were practically strangling her, and her pillow felt as comfortable as a rock. To top it off, that feeling was still there.

A headache pounded against her skull, a fever settling into her skin. She felt ill, yet had the burning need to go do… something. She couldn’t figure out what it was. The sensation was crawling under her skin, an ache working into her muscles. It had been some time since she had felt so bedridden.

But she couldn’t stay still. Surely, something must be wrong with the balance. Someone must be pushing at it again. Maybe a god’s following had taken a serious toll? Or one of them had gained a great deal of power? … Had another died? 

She sat up, closing her eyes to the sudden wave of nausea. No, Ianite would have told if that had happened. Hell, the whole land would know. To lose another god would be of huge discussion. They had already lost so many in a small amount of time.

Sliding her eyelids back open, she set to get her feet on the ground. On shaky legs, she took to stumbling along the wall, making her way towards her kitchen. The stone beneath her was cold, sending a shiver up her spine. Though she felt halfway frozen, longing for nothing more than to get back into her too tight bed, she was sweating. This was not going well for her.

Finally getting to her kitchen, the air here hardly any warmer than the hallway, she worked her way over to get a glass of water. She kept a cup out for helping medicine go down, and tonight it would see the same use. 

Though she was of higher standing, she only had access to basic home remedies. As of late, people with too much time on their hands had been developing mixtures meant solely for the purpose of curing disease, but they were scattered and charging an arm and a leg for their solutions. She would be using the commons herbs she had access to.

From her herb rack, she tried to focus her tilting vision enough to read the labels. Each tiny jar had an equally tiny nametag, but she managed to find the feverfew leaves and chamomile leaves. Though she would rather have used the chamomile for tea, she wasn’t sure she’d have the time to make it before her symptoms got the best of her. Fumbling with the containers a bit, she managed to grasp what seemed to be a good amount of each in one hand. Taking her cup in the other, she took a moment to steady herself.

Moving to her water source, modestly placed off to the side, surrounded by wood to keep out the rocky taste, she filled her cup, slowly setting herself down on her knees. Prepping herself for the mix of floral sweetness and stark bitterness, she shoved the leaves in her mouth all at once. Chewing slowly, she cringed as she tried to swallow the clump, taking a swig of her drink. It went down hard, but she knew it would get the job done. 

Deciding to wait it out on the frigid ground, she gently rubbed her temples. Something had to be disturbing the balance. Maybe she should ask Ianite? Well, in the morning. Right now was a horrible time for it. Surely her Goddess would know. She was far more intune with the balance of the world, far more aware of it. 

Closing her eyes, she sighed. The thought of moving at all wasn’t pleasing. Hell, she figured that even if she did manage to get up, her stomach would send it's hardest complaints. Maybe she’d just stay here for the night. 

~

Taylor woke to a blinding light filtering into her eyes. She groaned, a weezy, croaking sound, as she wrenched her eyelids open. Good news, her headache was pretty much gone. Bad news, her fever was up and kickin’ and she could hardly swallow around the sandpaper feeling in her throat. 

She brushed her hand against the floor beside her, searching for the cup she used last night. After an unpleasant dip in freezing water, her fingers over the smooth wood. Plunging it into the small pool beside her, she grimaced. Taking a few needy gulps from it, she shuddered at the chill it left behind. One would hope that it would quell the incessant hot circling her head, but it only seemed to make it feel more drastic. 

Bracing herself against the wall, she resolved to get up. That… itch was still there. And with the itch, the promise of a future headache stood. Pushing up onto unsteady legs, she grasped the nearest counter to stay upright. She paused for a moment, trying to get used to the swimming feeling behinds her eyes. With a deep breath, she shuffled forward. Before doing anything, however, she needed to get a change of clothes. What she wore now was sticky with sweat and unsuited for the cold of late November. 

Though she longed for a long, hot bath, she feared she wouldn’t be able to get out if she took one. Resigning to simply pat herself down with a warm water cloth, she rummaged through her drawers for something warm, preferably fluffy. 

After finishing up, in almost double the time it should have taken, she opened her front door, bracing against the harsh wind. Grumbling, she set off for Ianite’s Overworld temple. There, she could find a teleport to the end portal which was several miles from here. In the End, she could hold a much more private conversation with her Lady.

Of course, the trek to the temple was almost a mile from her own home. Normally it wasn’t that daunting of a task, but with the frigid breeze and the in and out appearance of the sun, she felt worse with each step. It was unusual for a simple feeling to have this much effect on her. Maybe she had already been getting sick? She didn’t mix well with the cold in any situation.

What felt to her as hours was merely one hour. By the time she made it to the temple, she felt as though the icy claws of death were gripping her from the inside. Needless to say, the pleasant warmth of the temple was a relief. Giving half hearted nods to her fellow Ianitees, who exchanged concerned glances once she passed, she worked her way to the teleport room. With a sigh, she pressed the button. As she felt her body swirl and shift she pressed her lips together to keep her insides from coming out.

She lurched forward as her feet found the ground once more, catching herself on the stone brick wall next to her. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself before looking at the end portal with a minor wave of nausea. Climbing the steps, she threw herself in before she could change her mind.

Her feet hit the concrete with unexpected force, sending her to the ground. She unwittingly peered into the void, mind swirling as she tried to not puke. Swallowing hard, she pulled herself back up, wanting nothing more to be on mostly solid ground. 

Once on the mainland, she approached the gateway carefully. Pulling a stacks of ender pearls from the chest full of them, for the exact purpose of getting to Ianite’s End Temple, she groaned. Too much more teleporting, and she may just lose the breakfast she never had. 

Chucking one of the pearls into the gateway, she clenched her eyes shut, letting the void flow past her. Her landing was lighter this time, though the end stone was hardly softer than obsidian. Letting her vision refocus, she mused to herself on how she already felt better. Not perfect of course, but being in the end seemed to at least numb the effects of her fever. She wanted to think it was the presence of her Lady, but something told her it wasn't.  
Eying the purpur brick road set before her, a convenient path made by the easily lost looking to get to the temple in better time, she set off. At times, where the break between islands happened, she’d have to toss an ender pearl to the otherside. She did it with practiced ease. Afterall, it would have been disrespectful to the land to change it's nature. 

After a good deal of time, though it's passage was hard to discern in the end, she found her way to the Temple entrance. With a great sense of relief, she strode in, giving a nod to the guards station there. She ventured through a short corridor before coming upon Ianite’s throne room. Though Ianite saw such extravagances to be mostly pointless, she settled to keep it to listen to prayers, both in her Temple and from beyond the domain.

As her Goddess swept her eyes over her, it was clear that she found no surprise in Taylor’s presence. Giving the mortal a soft smile, Ianite called out, “I have been waiting, my dear champion. But before we talk, let us relocate to a more private area.” Taylor merely nodded her head, her Lady having drilled into her that they needed to formalities when alone, and followed the Goddess to her conference room of sorts. 

Once the duo walked through the doorway, Ianite turned and laid a hand to Taylor’s forehead. A wash of magic went through her, and she found her symptoms to be relieved. The only presence remaining in her head was that of the feeling of unbalance.

Gesturing for her champion to take a seat, Ianite settled herself in a cushy chair. Brushing her hair out of face, she became serious.

“I’m sure you’ve felt the disturbance by now.” At Taylor’s light nod, she continued, “I’m also sure you can feel that it is different this time around.” 

At this point Taylor cut in, “It feels less like something was removed, as what normally seems to happen, and more like something was gained. Like something entirely different is here, or someone came upon more than they should possess.” 

It was a spur of the moment thought, but as Ianite nodded her head, a twisted feeling settled in her gut. It was strange to see the balance become disproportionate through more of… something coming into the world. Most of the time imbalance was a result of power being taken, of someone stealing more than they needed. 

In rarer times, it was something being removed from the world, but there was nothing they could do about that. If was the will of Him, it was inevitable. But something new must have come into the world. And if there was something new, it held no place in this world. Yet. It was the way of the universe to give everything a chance. If it was meant to be, it would settle back into balance. If not, well. It wasn't going to last. 

The Goddess considered her words for a moment. “You are partially correct. Something strange has happened. A mixing of powers per se. You are aware of the love shared between Crystinal and Folia, yes?” At the nod she received, she went on, “Are you aware of their children?” 

Taylor’s eyebrows shot up, “They have children?” 

Ianite carried on, “It was a hushed event. No one was sure what would happen when two gods had children. Would the children be gods themselves? Would they inherit the power of their parents? Or would they end up as simply more magical humans? Even with my ability to see into the future, I could not discern with possibility would come into our universe.”

The mortal champion considered this for a moment. 

“They, they inherited their parents power didn’t they? Were born gods? Why else would we feel such a disturbance?” she questioned, worried about the answer. Would they be forced to harm children for the sake of balance?

“Almost,” Ianite bit her lip, “They have actually been alive for a few years now. However, over these years, neither the eldest or youngest showed signs of godhood. Magical abilities? Yes. It wasn’t until recently that the daughter, the oldest, began to emit a godly aura. One that most closely resembles her mother.” Cutting off for a moment, she sighed. “I’m afraid that if we wish to keep the balance intact, one of them must perish.”

“What!” Taylor tried to beat back her horror. “We can’t do that! We’ve already lost so many gods, and surely we cannot harm a child!” It wasn’t working well.

The Goddess gently shushed her. 

“It necessary,” Ianite stated, a hardness settling in her eyes. “If the balance of the world were to fail, imagine how many more would die.”

Before Taylor could argue more, Ianite cut her off, “Imagine the amount of people would would disgrace, the amount of lives that would have gone to waste, if we were to let the balance they were lost for die?”

That shut her up. She knew first hand the amount of people that had sacrificed to keep the balance in check. The people that were sacrificed. Gritting her teeth, she let out a harsh breath.

Ianite tilted her head for a moment. 

A glint came into her eye, one Taylor could not discern. “We could convince Folia to retake the power resting in her child. But there would be no guarantee it would work, and no guarantee that the child wouldn’t tie. It could be tied to her life force.” Ianite sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. “You may ask her, but I fear that no choice will hold good results. You must pick the lesser of two evils. You will likely be forced to kill a goddess, or her child. And believe me, she will not let you kill her child.”

She waved a hand, and to her left Taylor’s gear appeared. Her champion armor. But instead of her own sword one of darker, swirling purples rested beside the armor. She tore her eyes from it, finding it's strange likeness to the void to be captivating. 

“Don’t think too hard about it. Your sword would not be equipped to take down a god, if it comes to that point.” She gave a reassuring smile, “Think of it as something to protect yourself with, not something to kill someone with.”

Taylor rose and solemnly started to suit up. Her winter boots and coat didn’t fit beneath it, so she resigned to taking them off. Folia prefered to keep her land warm anyhow. She strapped the sword to her side

“Are you ready, my champion of balance?” Ianite stretched out her hand, waiting for her.

Getting herself mentally ready, she took her Lady’s hand. With that, the world vanished before her eyes. For a moment, all she saw was a purple mist, carrying her Folia’s Grove. Rather than the Goddess’ Temple, it was the place she chose to live, surrounded by the nature that flourished from her presence.

The landing she had this time was the gentlest of today. Whether it was from Ianite’s will or from the softness of the grass here, she kept upright with little trouble on the plush ground. A quick sweep of her eyes found Folia watching her from her seat from within a circle of flowers. Movement from behind her caught her eye, but she kept herself focused on the Goddess. 

“The flowers here are lovely this time of year, aren’t they?” The Floral Goddess started, her fingers weaving a flower crown from those around her. “Though I do prefer to keep it warm here, there is a place that feels the effects of the seasons changing.” Her hands still for a moment, “Just as there will be places that feel the shifts of balance, even when there are others that feel nothing.”

Taylor’s eyes narrowed, “What do you mean?” 

The Goddess resumed the creation of the flower crown, adding a new color into the mix.

Locking eyes with the mortal, she deadpanned, “You’re here to kill me aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Taylor breathed, an almost guilty expression on her face, “If we can’t find a way to stop your kids from becoming godlike.”

The two were silent for a moment, Folia finishing the flower crown, a collection of pale, grayish greens, oranges, and deep blues. Putting it to the side, she began a new one, using the same, black flower for all of it.

“The colors don’t seem to go well do they?” Before Taylor could give a response, she continued, “But they mean something. Each color for my flowers, despite the meaning humans have tied to them, mean something special. And these colors come together. Grow together. One day you’ll understand.”

Her hands restlessly constructed the next crown, stringing the dark flowers together with haste.

“Are you sure you know your dear Goddess? Do you know how her balance works.” Her fingers fumbled for a moment, and she paused to calm herself. “Do you really believe that the changes in balance you feel are real? Are of your own perception?”

“Of course I know my Lady!” Taylor shouted, eyes wide.

Something was building behind her eyes. Her sense of wrongness was pounding behind her eyes. 

“No you don’t!” Folia’s eyes burned through her. “How could you, a mortal of so few years, truly know your Goddess, who has lived for millennia. Do you know what she has done? Who she has aligned herself with? All in the name of her precious balance?”

She finished the flower crown, the flowers themselves poking out in all different directions. 

With a flick of her fingers, it replaced her helmet, the piece of armor finding itself at her feet.

“It suits you,” Folia mused, closing her eyes, “Once you figure out the meaning of those flowers. Not now really, but it will. I know.” She opened her eyes, “You don’t want to kill anyone do you?”

Before Taylor could respond, her mind went fuzzy. Folia started to swim out of focus, before coming back into sharpness outlined in bright purple. She felt distant. Her arm moved on it's own accord, grasping the hilt of her sword, drawing it out. 

She knew what was happening. Ianite was telling her to take action. That she couldn’t afford to wait any longer. It was a shame, to have to go this far. But it had to be done. In this state, with her Goddess lending her strength, she could no longer afford to let the balance bend. 

She approached the Goddess of Flora slowly. “Is there anything you wish to say in your last moments?”

Fear shone in the immortal’s eyes, even as she grit her teeth. “Nothing I wish to say aloud.”

“Then perish.” Taylor pulled her sword back then stabbed forward into the goddess’ chest, aiming for the heart. 

The effect was immediate. The pounding in her head vanished, along with the purple framing the Goddess. But something had changed. Something was different. It burned in her mind, pulling at her thoughts. 

She turned around, walking back to pick up her helmet. Picking it up, she tugged as the flower crown to pull it off. But it didn’t budge. Startled, she reached for the stems, trying to untangle them. But as her fingers ran down their length, they started to blend in with her hair. No. They merged with her hair. 

Turning to face the fallen Goddess, she swept over the one that she just made. It was dead, withered and browned. The one that sat upon the Goddess’ head earlier was gone, vanished. And just before she felt the familiar pull of Ianite teleporting her, she swore she had seen a flash of white in the foliage behind the body.

But then all she saw was swirling purple.

~

Word spread fast. There had been a boy that had seen it all. Her identified her, and she was forced to be on trail by her own Goddess. She hoped that she would be given pardon, as she was under the direct orders of Ianite herself. 

But she knew no such things would happen. It was routine. For the sake of protecting balance, Ianite must not be seen in the wrong. It was for the greater good.

So she let herself be vilified with no argument.It's not like she could make one for killing a god. Ianite would deliver her punishment. She would be another sacrifice for balance.

She was waiting in the end, just behind Ianite’s Temple. Her champion’s armor was left inside, given back before it could be taken. Soon, Ianite would be here, prepared with her punishment. Though Ianite loved her followers, she could not prevent justice from falling upon them. They both knew today would be her last.

However, she did not count on Ianite not physically being there to see her death. It was with surprise and suddenness that she found herself plummeting into the void, the endless expanse eager to swallow her. Stunned horror flooded her veins. 

Lifting her head up, she hopelessly watched as the endstone above her faded away. Despite the stories of heroes jumping into the void and travelling universes, she knew this would only see her to the afterlife. It was only what the world thought she deserved.

As the last of the yellow rocks disappeared from her view, she felt as though the shadows of the endless expanse were washing over her, suffocating her. She couldn’t breath or see. Each gasp seemed to add pressure to her mind, as though something was eating away at it. For the first time in her short life, she decided that this was the truest feeling of fear. Experiencing the edge of the universe whittle away at your existence until nothing remained. 

But even as hers felt as though they were ripping apart from the inside, she could hear whispers. Mutterings. Her eyes saw nothing but swirling light far beyond reach and shadows closing in on her. 

-She’s dying-

\--How? Didn’t she take a god’s power? At least, that’s what the flowers in her head say.--

-That doesn’t change anything. She can’t use them. Especially if He wishes for her death.-

_Heh. Her death. I don’t think He does though._

-Maybe. But if she doesn’t figure it out, she’ll perish.-

~~Kinda like us huh.~~

\--I don’t think she’ll be like us.--

“What are you talking about,” The dying champion called out, eyes searching for the voices.

There was silence.

__

_\--Listen, it’s the godly powers at work.--_

__Do you think we could help her?__

_-...I’m not sure. We could try to guide her?-_

_< >_

_“Please, tell me what you are talking about!” She shouted once more. If she could help it, she wouldn’t die this way._

_- _-__

__-How do we do that?-_ _

__\--Listen, I’ve got this. What is your name?--_ _

__It took Taylor a moment to realize the voice was asking her. Her mind felt clogged, the gears inside getting blocked and stalling._ _

__“It’s Taylor.”_ _

__\--Okay Taylor, listen closely. You are dying. Yeah, you probably figured that out. But I can help you not die. Just a few steps, that will most likely work. It’s really just a theory, and most people tend to ignore mine anyway, so there is no real guarantee that this will work.--_ _

__-No, I trust your theories, I believe this could work.--_ _

__\--Mhm, so step one: Keep repeating who you are. The void kills by erasing you entirely, so if you keep something intact, you’re more likely to survive. Since I can’t really tell if you are doing what I said, I guess I’ll keep going. Step two: Focus on Folia, more specifically her energy. Who she was. What she did.--_ _

___Sorry to but in, but focus on yourself in the forefront of your mind, and Folia as background noise. The, uh, the magic will come to you anyway. Since it doesn’t want to disappear.__ _

__~~ I don’t think it can~~_ _

__\--Anyway, like I was saying. Step three: Push to get out of here. Like, want with everything you have left to leave. The magic, like they said, can’t really disappear. Especially the essence of a god. It doesn’t want to be absorbed by Him either, so it’s going to trying it's hardest to get out. Just like you have to. So I need you to focus on who you are, cling to the essence of Folio stuck to you, and want to leave with all you have. Got it?--_ _

__Taylor drew in a shuddering breath ignoring the pain it brought with it. “Okay.”_ _

__This didn’t seem to hard. Despite the clear steps, she chose to focus on Folia first, feeling that this would be the most difficult part. But after she did, she found it hard to pull her attention back to herself._ _

__Folia is the Goddess of Nature, she is practically part plant. I am Taylor, the champion of Ianite. I want to go home. I want to get out._ _

__-I think it's working.-_ _

__\--So do I--_ _

__Folia is the Goddess of Nature, she is practically part plant. I am Taylor, the champion of Ianite. I want to go home. I want to get out._ _

__Folia is the Goddess of Nature, she is practically part plant. A sharp sting in her right eye interrupted her thoughts._ _

__\--What the hell? No wait, keep going Taylor. I’ve got you, don’t worry--_ _

__Folia is the Goddess of… of Nature, she is practically part plant. I am Taylor, the… the… the champion of Ianite. I want to go home. I want to get out._ _

__Folia is- A burning in her arm cut her off once more._ _

__-No, Taylor just keep going. This is awkward, but just keep going!-_ _

__Folia is… is, practically part plant. I am Taylor, the… the uh… of Ianite. I want to go home. I want to get out._ _

__Her body was starting to tingle, despite the strange spikes of pain that settled throughout her body._ _

___This is definitely quite strange, but we’ll have to work with it. It may be for the better.__ _

__I am Taylor. F.. f… practically part plant. I want to get out._ _

__-I don’t think she is going to come out the same.-_ _

__\--At least she’ll be alive.--_ _

__I am Taylor, practically part plant. I want to get out._ _

__And then she was falling. Lights flew by her, glimpses into lives she’d never know. But her addled mind couldn’t find the space to process it. Her head pounded with the effort of keeping her together, of keeping something intact. Just as it seemed that she might keep anything beyond her name, she broke from the void, away from the lingering taste of her memories._ _

__Bundled in shadows, beings turning into something different as they fell into the Overworld for the first time in a long time, she plummeted to the ground. And promptly crashed into the still water below. Flailing for a moment, Taylor managed to get herself back to the surface, coughing as she struggled towards land._ _

__The sun was just setting, and her skin tingled with a prickly sensation. Something felt off. But just as soon as she recognized that, the feeling was gone. It hardly mattered now._ _

__Peering around her, she called out, for the first time in her memory, “Hello?”_ _


End file.
